Sterile packing

ABSTRACT

1,203,044. Seaming non-metallic sheet material. SOC. D&#39;ETUDES ET D&#39;EXPLOITATION DE PROCEDES POUR L&#39;INDUSTRIE AILIMENTAIRE (SEPIAL) CO. 15 Nov., 1967 [29 Nov., 1966; 15 June, 1967], No. 52101/67. Heading B5K. [Also in Division B8] In a machine for continuous sterile packaging, a web 34 is sterilized by radiation, formed into a tube, sealed longitudinally by a roller device 61 (not detailed) and sealed transversely, after filling, by jaws 68A, 68B. In one embodiment, the jaws are heated electrically, and in the retracted position the jaw-heads are cooled by water dripping on to them. In a second embodiment, Fig. 2 (not shown), sealing is effected by an ultrasonic device (133) comprising a magnetostrictive stage (134) and an emitter (135). The assembly is cooled by a liquid or gaseous coolant flowing in a casing, and the whole is mounted on a jack (139). The weld is made by a tool (136) bearing against an anvil (137) which may be resiliently mounted on a jack (138). The longitudinal seam may also be made using an ultrasonic device.

June 23, 1970 Filed Nov. 22. 1967 J. FAUCHERON 3,516,225

STERILE PACKING 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 J 23 1 J. FAUCHERON 3,516,225

swam: racxme Filed 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2

United States Patent 3,516,225 STERILE PACKING Jean Faucheron, Les Clayes-sous-Bois, France, assignor,

by mesne assignments, to Societe dEtudes et dExploitation de Procedes pour llndustrie Alimentaire, Clichy, France, a company of France Filed Nov. 22, 1967, Ser. No. 685,163 Claims priority, application France, Nov. 11, 1966, 85,323; June 15, 1967, 111,457 Int. Cl. 1365b 9/12 US. Cl. 53-180 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A machine for continuous, sterile, packaging compris ing, in a sterile environment, package forming equipment and means for introducing material to be packed into the package during the formation thereof.

The invention relates to the continuous, sterile packing of sterilised substances in liquid, paste or granular form, more particularly food stuffs in disposable packs.

The object of the invention is to provide a machine which can sterilise packs very efliciently and is relatively simple in construction.

To this end, according to the invention, the machine comprises: a fluid-tight enclosure in which there are a magazine for synthetic material in the form of a bobbin of ribbon, means for forming a packing from this ribbon, means for supplying the substance to be packed to the pack which is being formed, means for maintaining an uncontaminated atmosphere within the enclosure, means for emitting penetrating germicidal radiation (e.g. X-rays, gamma rays or other active radiation) for sterilising the ribbon of synthetic plastic material, the machine also being equipped with means for sealing the pack containing the sterilised substance and for severing the pack to separate it from the pack being formed after it.

The invention will be better understood from the following description and the accompanying drawings, which show two embodiments of the invention by way of example.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic vertical section through a first embodiment of the invention, and

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic elevation of a second embodiment of the invention, with parts cut away near the bottom to show the particular welding device.

The machine shown in FIG. 1 can be used more particularly for sterile packing of sterilised milk in throwaway plastics packs, for example of polyethylene or other multi-ply compounds.

The machine is composed essentially of a fixed base 1 supported by appropriate means (not shown) and carrying the rest of the machine, most of which is inside an enclosure generally designated 2 and consisting of a fixed enclosure 3, and a movable enclosure 4. This movable enclosure 4 can rotate around the fixed enclosure 3, on the vertical geometrical axis 6 of the machine.

The fixed enclosure 3 is cylindrical or polygonal in general shape. It is closed by a cover 11, and the bottom 14 thereof is carried by a hub 15 on an annular support 16 rigidly connected to the base 1. The upper portion of the fixed enclosure 3 is also attached to the base 1.

The movable enclosure 4 has a cylindrical wall 21 whose bottom 22 is rotatably mounted-cg. by means of a ball ring 23--on the fixed annular support 16. Annular packings 26, 27 provide a seal between the movable cylindrical wall 21 and the cylindrical fixed enclosure 3; packing 26 is inserted between a collar on the annular bottom 22 of ice the rotary enclosure, and packing 27 between the upper portion of the cylindrical wall 21 and a cylindrical collar 28 rigidly connected to the fixed enclosure 3.

The rotary enclosure 4 comprises a plurality of magazines 31 (three in this embodiment), regularly spaced in star formation around the vertical geometrical axis of the machine, and each containing a pivot 32 adapted to receive a bobbin 33 of ribbon of appropriate synthetic plastics, for example, polyethylene 34, for making the disposable packs.

Each magazine 31 has a cover 37 with a hinge 38 and an appropriate fluid-tight closing system 39. The upper portion of the cover 37 contains an observation port 41.

The plastics ribbon of film 34 leaving the bobbin 33 passes over guide rollers 43, 44, through a large aperture 45 in the wall 21 opposite the associated magazine 31, through an aperture 46 in the wall of the fixed enclosure 3, and then over other guide rollers 51-55 arranged within this fixed enclosure in a particular manner which will be described below. Downstream of the guide roller 55 in the fixed enclosure 3, there is a device for controlling the shaping of each pack. This device comprises a fixed external cylindrical guide 57 mounted on the hub 15, and a fixed internal cylindrical guide 58 mounted on the machine cover 11. The plastics ribbon must descend between these two guides to form a cylinder, the two edges of the ribbon being welded together by an appropriate device, shown diagrammatically in the form of a roller-spot welding device 61.

A seal is provided between the cylindrical pack 62 being formed and the fixed external cylindrical guide 57 by a water-seal 63, formed by a strip of water retained by a bead 64 projecting from the bottom of the internal surface of this guide 57.

As each pack is filled, it is closed by an appropriate conventional welding device 66, with two opposite welding heads 67A, 67B with respect electrodes 68A, 68B. These electrodes are cooled by drops of water leaking rom the water-seal 63, and dripping off an annular gutter overhang 71 just above the electrodes. The water coming oil? the electrodes collects in an annular pan 73 and is drawn off along a duct 74 by a pump 75, operated by an electric motor 76. From the pump delivery duct 77 the water flows through a filter 78 to a discharge duct 79', which returns it to the machine, some of it to the Waterseal 63, and the rest to a ribbon washing device which will be described below.

The fixed enclosure 3 is equipped with heating means indicated diagrammatically by electrical resistances 81.

The substance which is to be packed arrives at the top of the machine along a duct 84 which leads through a fluid-tight packing block 85 in the cover 11 to the interior of a filling head 86, which discharges the substance into the pack which is being formed. This filling head 86 is movable, so that the pack can be filled without soiling its walls.

The interior of the enclosure assembly is supplied with non-contaminated gas (e.g. air or nitrogen) under pressure along a duct 87 which passes through a fluid-tight packing block 88 into the top of the fixed enclosure 3.

A special sealing device 91 is provided around the aperture 46 where the ribbon enters the fixed enclosure, in order to seal off the fixed enclosure while the movable enclosure is turning (while a bobbin is being changed). This sealing device comprises inflatable annular gripping members or garrottes 92. When the garrottes are not infiated, the ribbon can pass freely; when they are inflated, they prevent any communication through the aperture 46. The packs are sterilised by means of an emitter device 101 adapted to emit penetrating germicidal radiation, for example, X-rays, gamma rays or other active radiation. This emitter is situated in the upper portion of the fixed enclosure 3, more precisely in the internal cylindrical guide 58. Coolant flows to and from the emitter along ducts 102. The emittor device 101 is mounted on a rotary support 104 operated by means of a motor with a reducing unit 105 so that it rotates slowly about an axis coaxial with the vertical axis 6 of the machine, so that its action is distributed uniformly over all azimuths.

A cylindrical metal reflector 107 is provided inside the pack being formed, at the level of the emitter 101.

To exploit the germicidal action of the emitter to the full, the plastics ribbon is made to follow a meandering path over the rollers 51-54, as indicated above, so that the germicidal rays traverse the ribbon several times as shown in the drawing. Also, a port 111 in the wall of the enclosure 3 permits some of the beam emitted by the radiation source to reach the bobbin 33. A movable shutter 112 is used to close this port 111 when the rotary portion 4 of the machine is moving.

A device 114, with a bolt 115 operable by a handle 116, is provided to position the rotary portion 4 of machine correctly so that each ribbon magazine in turn is exactly in front of the aperture 46 where the ribbon enters the fixed enclosure and the port 111 through which the germicidal radiation passes towards the bobbin of ribbon.

Alternatively, a plurality of devices for emitting bactericidal radiation may be provided at various carefully chosen sites in the machine.

In addition to this sterilisation by germicidal radiation, the ribbon is subjected to a brushing device 118 and a washing device 119 inside its magazine. The washing device 119 may be supplied by the duct 79 delivering filtered water, as indicated above.

Each magazine 31 also contains a connecting device 121, by means of which the free end of a new ribbon can be welded to the end of the preceding ribbon.

The upper portion of the fixed enclosure 3 also contains a hinged cover 124, with a closing device 125, and an observation port 126.

The machine operates them as follows:

Assuming that everything is working, the plastics ribbon 34 is drawn along by the pressure of the substance which is being introduced into the pack 62 being formed, and by the movement of the filling head 86. The ribbon therefore rolls off the bobbin 33 on to the roller 43, is subjected to the action of the brushing device 118 and washing device 119, passes over the roller 44 through the aperture 46 in the fixed enclosure and the (now inoperable) sealing device 91 and over the guide rollers 51-55, so that it has been subjected to the bactericidal effect of the radiations from the emitter 101 both while on the bobbin and during its winding path over the rollers. While the pack is forming in the upper portion of the machine, between the internal and external cylindrical guides 58, 57 it is subjected to the very strong sterilising effect of the radiations from the emitter 101, and this effect is reinforced by the annular reflector 107. When the filling has been deposited in the plastics pocket 62 thus formed, the lateral welding electrodes 68A, 68B approach each other and seal the pack, so that one cycle is over and the machine is ready for the next.

The cycle is repeated until the bobbin of ribbon 33 is finished. The shutter 112 and sealing device 91 are then closed, the locking device 114 is released, and the movable portion 4 of the machine is rotated through one third of a turn, bringing another magazinealready equipped with a bobbin of plastics ribbonopposite the port 111 and aperture 46 in the fixed enclosure. The cover 37 of this magazine is lifted, and the end of the preceding ribbon, which is still outside the aperture 46 in the fixed enclosure, is joined end to end with the end of the new bobbin. The fluid-tight cover 37 is replaced, the shutter 112 is opened and the sealing device 91 is released. The new bobbin is now subjected in turn to the germicidal radiation, and the packing process can begin again.

While the packs are being made, there is ample time to place bobbins of ribbon in the two other magazines which are not in service. During these preparatory operations, radial partitions (not shown) between the fixed cylindrical wall 3 and the rotary cylindrical wall 21, on each side of the port 111 ensure that the active portion of the machine is still sealed.

When the machine is started, sterilisation is ensured by translatory movement of the radiating head in the tube.

FIG. 2 shows a machine which differs from that in FIG. 1 only as regards the device for welding the packs. In this embodiment the welding device comprises an electronic generator and a device for transmitting acoustic e.g. ultrasonic vibrations to the parts to be welded.

The generator (not shown) is of an appropriate conventional type, supplied by an alternating-current net- Work and having a pilot stage for controlling power tubes, a power stage comprising the whole of the highand lowtension supply to the output tubes, with a power of, for example, approximately a 1000 watts, and a biassing unit to supply the ultrasonic emitter. Alternatively, semi-conductors may be used instead of the tubes.

A magnetostrictive device has a natural frequency to which the generator is tuned.

This magnetostrictive device 133 has a magnetostrictive stage 134 and an emitter stage 135-. The magnetostrictive stage consists basically of an assembly of magnetostrictive metal bars, of ferrite or ceramic, surrounded by an alternating-current, energising inductants or solenoids, converting the electronic energy which is applied by the generator at preset frequencies, into mechanical energy by a succession of dilations and contractions. This assembly is situated in a casing where a suitable liquid or gaseous coolant flows, and it is carried by a jack 139.

The emitter assembly 133 comprises a coupling 135 which is frusto-conical in shape and a tool 136 also frusto-conical. Ultrasonic energy emitted by the magnetostrictive stage 134 is concentrated in the tool 136. An anvil 137 is mounted, preferably resiliently, on a jack 138 attached to the machine base 1, like the magnetostrictive device 133.

The anvil 137 is opposite to tool 136, these two components being arranged one on each side of the plastics tube of which two opposite internal surfaces are to be welded together, as shown in the drawing. The presence of the milk does not hinder the ultrasonic welding process, which is very advantageous.

The weld may be effected by ultrasonic emitter devices other than that described and shown.

Moreover, the preceding longitudinal weld along the two edges of the plastics ribbon, producing a continuous tube, may be made by means of a similar ultrasonic device or a device using the same technique.

I claim:

1. A machine for continuous, sterile packaging, particularly of food stuffs in disposable packs, such machine comprising: a fluid-tight enclosure containing a magazine comprising a bobbin on which a ribbon of package forming strip material can be wound, means for forming a package from the ribbon, means for supplying the substance to be packed to the package during formation, means for maintaining an uncontaminated atmosphere within the enclosure, means for emitting penetrating germicidal radiation for sterilising the ribbon, means for sealing the package containing the sterile substance and means for severing the package to separate it from the package being formed after it, said enclosure containing an outlet aperture for the filled, but not sealed, package and a head on this aperture to retain a water-seal.

2. The machine specified in claim. 1 characterised in that the portion of the enclosure having the aperture with the water-seal, is provided with means for guiding the leaking water onto the electrodes for sealing the package, in order to cool the electrodes.

3. A machine for continuous, sterile packaging, particularly of food stuffs in disposable packs, such machine comprising: a fluid-tight enclosure containing a magazine comprising a bobbin on which a ribbon of packageforrning strip material can be wound, means for forming a package from the ribbon, means for supplying the substance to be packed to the package during formation, means for maintaining an uncontaminated atmosphere within the enclosure, means for emitting penetrating germicidal radiation for sterilizing the ribbon, means for sealing the package containing the sterile substance and means for severing the package to separate it from the package being formed after it, said means for emitting germicidal radiation being mounted on a rotary support Whose axis is coaxial with the tubular portion of the package being formed, and means being provided for turning this support at a slow speed.

4. A machine for continuous, sterile packaging, particularly of food stuffs in disposable packs, such machine comprising: a fluid-tight enclosure containing a magazine comprising a bobbin on which a ribbon of packageforming strip material can be wound, means for forming a package from the ribbon, means for supplying the substance to be packed to the package during formation,

means for maintaining an uncontaminated atmosphere within the enclosure, means for emitting penetrating germicidal radiation for sterilizing the ribbon, means for sealing the package containing the sterile substance and means for severing the package to separate it from the package being formed after it, said machine including a plurality of magazines arranged in star formation, and the portion of the enclosure carrying the magazine being rotatably mounted on the other portion of the enclosure, which is cylindrical, annular seals being inserted between the two portions :of the enclosure.

5. The machine specified in claim 4 characterised in that locking means ensure precise angular positioning of the rotary enclosure portion so that each magazine in turn may be placed exactly opposite the apertures in the fixed enclosure portion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS TRAVIS S. McG-EHEE, Primary Examiner 33 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,516,225 Dated June 23, 1970 Invent0r(5) Jean Faucheron It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

I I Claims priority, application France, Nov. 29, 1966,

85 323; June 15 1967 110, 457

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